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FADE IN

EXT. OUTSIDE FOREST, ROADSIDE - EARLY EVENING

A van pulls onto a small path, and drives a short distance into the 
forest. On the side of the van is a magnetic sign that reads: "Donovan, 
Mitchell, Byers and Byers, Partners in Psychology, Harlan and Nadine 
Byers Therapists", and a phone number. 

The forest is teeming with life. Birds chirp. Squirrels jump about in 
the trees. The sun is high and bright, peeking through the thick mass 
of trees and brush. 

The van stops, and nine people step out. There are three teen boys, 
JOSH, clean cut, carries a baseball bat everywhere he goes; MARK, 
scruffy, with a goatee, dark glasses, long hair and a heavy metal T-
shirt; DAMON, a big football player red neck. 

There's also four teen girls, KYRA, plain, but attractive in a natural 
way; LIZ, cute, wears tiny shirts and seventies style flared pants; 
TAMMY, the prettiest of the girls, very feminine; HEATHER, the bad 
girl, a Goth dresser, with lots of pierced body parts.    

There is also a married couple, the teens' counselors, HARLAN and 
NADINE BYERS.  

Harlan and Nadine, the counselors, are both in their early thirties and 
too uptight for their own good. Nadine is the typical college graduate 
professional, a pretty woman, but not glamorous.   

Harlan is a semi-nerdy type. His glasses are too small for his head, 
and his hair is neat to the point of obsession - every hair in its 
place.   

Nadine walks to the back of the van, opens the rear doors, and each of 
the campers grabs their backpack, and puts it on. 

Tammy stretches, placing a hand at the small of her back, before 
finally strapping on her back pack. 

TAMMY

God what a drive.

NADINE

Yeah, it's more than a hop and a skip, but this is a great spot - just 
far enough out that nobody will bother us.   

Harlan looks to the sky, and shields his eyes from the bright  
sunlight. 

MARK

Well at least we don't have to hike far this way. 

HARLAN

Just a few miles. We should be able to set up camp by dark - no 
problem. 

KYRA

Miles? But we're in the middle of nowhere as it is.

Damon is packing his lip with Skoal. He wipes the residue off his 
fingers, onto his pant leg. 

DAMON

No shit Harlan. It's been more than an hour since we've even seen a 
car. 

He spits on the ground, near Tammy's feet. She looks disgusted, and 
steps back.  

NADINE

Don't you think it's a little early to start whining? Man, you'd think 
you guys were geriatric or something. 

At that moment, three police cars race down the highway, with sirens on 
and lights flashing. The teens turn to watch them fly by.  

HARLAN

Well there ya' go. There is life out here after all. 

He grins at Damon sarcastically and starts down the path.

EXT. OUTSIDE, FOREST PATH - DAY

Harlan is first in line, followed by Nadine. 

He starts to sing, as they all head down the pseudo path where they 
parked. It's not a well traveled path, and looks as if feet haven't 
passed over it in quite some time. 

HARLAN

Head 'em up, move 'em out rawhide". 

The kids are rolling their eyes, shaking their heads, and gawking at 
him like he's such a geek.  

MONTAGE

INT. FOREST - DAY

Hours pass, as the sun sinks lower in the sky.  

The light of the forest slowly closes in around them.  

The further they walk into the forest, the more the light fades, and 
with it, the sounds of the forest animals.  

EXT. OUTSIDE, HIGHWAY - DAY

A couple of police cars speed down the highway with their lights 
flashing and their sirens blaring. 

EXT. OUTSIDE, FOREST - EARLY EVENING

Harlan leads the single file group, with Nadine close behind, followed 
in order by Josh, Mark, Damon, Liz, Kyra, Tammy and lastly Heather. 

All of them are huffing, puffing, sweating, and generally exhausted, 
from walking over the rugged terrain for several hours.         

The path they travel becomes less obvious, the farther in they walk. 
It's just barely sparse enough to navigate through.  

Kyra and Josh show the signs of exhaustion the most of all the hikers.  

Kyra, suddenly stumbles over a large tree root, and twists her ankle. 
She screams out in pain, and falls hard onto the ground.  

KYRA

(yelling, angry)

Shit! Shit!

Harlan only glances back, first at Kyra, then at Nadine. He shakes his 
head, with disgust and aggravation, that Kyra is a puss. Then, he 
continues on the path.  

Nadine stands watching Kyra, to see if she's truly hurt, while the 
other teens slow down and take a rest.    

Nadine rolls her eyes and then gestures to Damon, to go and  check on 
Kyra. 

Kyra has plopped down on her butt. 

Damon approaches and stands over her. As she rubs her ankle, she 
glances up at him. He kneels down. 

DAMON

You all right? What did you do? 

Nadine trots to catch up with Harlan. 

NADINE

(calling back)

Hey; unless it's broken, we need to get a move on. It's getting dark, 
and I'd like to set up camp sometime tonight.  

Damon takes a look at her ankle, feels all around it, and grins. 

DAMON

I don't think it's bad. Come on; I'll help you up. 

KYRA

It hurts like hell. I think I heard something pop. 

DAMON

Well, I've seen lots of broken bones on the field, and if it was, you'd 
be screaming. 

KYRA

No I wouldn't. Wouldn't give those two the satisfaction. Look at them; 
so happy with their perfect little lives. You ever feel like they get 
off on all our problems? Like if they didn't have us, they'd have no 
life?  

She peers up ahead, at Nadine and Harlan, holding hands as they walk. 

Damon glances at Nadine and Harlan, then reaches out to help Kyra 
stand, without answering her. 

Damon wraps her arm around his shoulder and lifts her. She winces, but 
they slowly hobble onward.   

As Nadine, Harlan, Josh, Mark, Liz and Tammy continue on through the 
forest, Heather slows down and waits for Damon and Kyra.  

When she meets up with them, they all stop to talk for a moment. 

HEATHER

Listen.

She looks around, listening for the sounds of the forest. It is eerily 
quiet.

DAMON

To what? 

KYRA

I don't hear anything. What are we listening for? 

HEATHER

Weird huh?  

Heather mimics the familiar ominous sound from the Friday the 13th 
movies.  

DAMON

Oh you're so funny. Let's just go all right?

HARLAN

(calling back)

Less than a mile to go.

Mark slows his pace, purposely allowing Liz to catch up with him. 

MARK

If she doesn't stop whining, they're gonna have us running laps around 
the campsite or some stupid shit. 

LIZ

Ughhh... All I wanna do is eat a couple of Zanex and climb into my 
sleeping bag. I can't believe our parents are paying them to torture 
us.   

MARK

Hmmm... I don't think our insurance covers torture. 

He grins and Liz grins at his joke as well. 

MARK

You've got some Zanex huh? My script got cut last month. It's a bitch 
getting cut off cold turkey like that.    

LIZ

Poor baby. If you want, I can slip you a few - our secret. 

MARK

Cool. I'll sneak over after the watchdogs go to sleep. 

Mark glances at the ground for a second, then stares into Liz's eyes 
with a very sultry look on his face. 

Liz smiles, and as he turns to walk ahead, she stares at his butt, 
admiring the tight curves in his jeans. 

He turns around and sees her, but pretends not to. He continues on, 
feeling full of himself and grinning. 

Josh stops for a moment, and bends over, resting his hands on his 
knees. He blows out a ragged breath. 

JOSH

Man, what a hangover. I'll catch up in a minute.   

The rest of the group walk past him, except for Tammy, who  stops to 
join him. 

TAMMY

Come on Josh, before they start cracking the whip again. If I have to 
hear any more of their shit today, I'm gonna kill somebody.   

JOSH

Might as well be me - put me outta my misery. Ughhh... Jack and 
Tequila. Shoot me now.    

He falls to the ground, playing dead. The back pack he's wearing 
hinders his lying flat, so he is still partially upright. Tammy grabs 
the front of his shirt, and tugs on him a couple of times.  

TAMMY

I'm serious. You know how it works. One of us messes up, and they come 
down on all of us. Come on. The faster we walk the sooner we get there. 

JOSH

Get where? This is about as nowhere as it gets.    

Tammy can't budge him, so she kneels down and takes a breather. 

JOSH

You know Harlan likes to hunt. Probably comes out here for Bambis or 
little baby squirrels or something.   

Tammy smirks at him. He suddenly grabs her, and she falls to the ground 
next to him. He tickles her, and she squeals with delight. They laugh 
for a moment, then Tammy hops up. She grunts and strains, but finally 
manages to drag him to his feet. 

They trot off to catch up with the others, with Josh chasing and 
tickling her.   

TAMMY

(giggling)

Stop it Josh. You know I can't stand that. 

He doesn't listen and keeps on with the tickling and poking her. At 
first, it's fun, but she soon becomes aggravated with him.  

She stops, and swings an open hand at him. She hits him in the arm, but 
not all that hard. He grabs it, faking that she's really hurt him.  

She tilts her head to the side and gives him the "as if" glare. 

Josh stares stoically at her for a moment, while she waits for him to 
say something. Instead, he copies the crane stance from The Karate Kid, 
as if he's preparing to defend himself from her attack.    

Tammy grins at him and turns away, mumbling to herself as she leaves 
him standing there, and looking rather silly.  

TAMMY

Such a retard. 

EXT. OUTSIDE, CAMPSITE - DUSK

The tents are pitched. Two are for the four girls to share. There's one 
big one for the three guys, and another for the counselors. An inviting 
fire burns, and the group sits in a circle around it. There are a 
couple of logs, from fallen trees, near the fire. One's really large, 
and the other a bit smaller.  

Some kids sit on the logs and some on the ground. Their backpacks are 
all sitting on the ground, leaned against the logs and nearby trees. 

Kyra swats at irritating bugs. 

Liz files her nails. 

Damon and Heather each smoke a cigarette. 

Mark pokes at the fire. 

Josh and Tammy chat secretively among themselves, smiling at each 
other. 

Nadine and Harlan are just sitting down. 

NADINE

Okay... I know we're all tired, so I'm gonna make this quick and 
painless.  

Nadine pauses for a moment, waiting for all the teens to at least look 
at her, and pretend to pay attention.  

She clears her throat loudly, which does at least draw their eyes to 
her direction.  

NADINE

Even though you're all here for different problems, it's the same basic 
reason; so, the first rule is let it all hang out. We're all friends 
here, and everything said in these woods stays in these woods. Got it? 

Each person in the group either gives an unenthusiastic "uh huh" or 
nods.

KYRA

(mumbling)

Friends - yeah right. 

Harlan and Nadine glance at each other, then shoot Kyra a disapproving 
glare. She lowers her head and stares at the ground. 

NADINE

Nobody brought any cell phones or beepers right?  

Another nod or unenthusiastic uh huh.

HEATHER

I think we shoulda brought just one, in case something goes wrong or 
somebody dies or something. 

They all stare at her like she's a moron. 

HEATHER

What? I'm just saying - I mean you never know right? Bears, snakes, 
spiders, all kinds of lovely things out here.  

DAMON

Good old positive Heather. 

NADINE

Uh Uh Uh... negative thoughts are our enemy. That's something we're 
gonna work more on, while we're out here - your pesky little paranoias 
Heather.   

Heather shoots Nadine a hateful glare, but when Nadine meets her eyes, 
Heather just hisses at the air softly and looks away. 

HARLAN

Lighten up. This is gonna be fun. 

He looks around the group, at all the bored faces. 

HARLAN

It's a vacation - away from the crap at home, at school. We'll be out 
here for 2 nights, so we might as well make good use of the time.  
Yell, scream, swear, whatever it takes. 

NADINE

Do whatever it is you need to do to feel better. Then you can start to 
be better. 

The campers are looking at him, as if he's totally lame. They don't 
really buy his philosophy, and are already regretting taking the trip.

MARK

I personally don't like this. 

JOSH

I second that shit. 

MARK

I don't get the point of it. Why'd we have to come way the hell out to 
bum-fuck Egypt?   

NADINE

Because you guys are still doing all the same stuff you were doing when 
we started meeting almost eight months ago.  

She looks at each teen in turn as she tosses around accusations. 

NADINE

(to Josh))

Still getting drunk and using drugs. 

(to Damon))

Still skipping class. 

(to Liz)

Still having promiscuous sex. 

Nadine pauses a moment, looking around the group. 

NADINE 

Stop me when I'm wrong. 

HARLAN

You're doing a fine job, but let me help you out anyway. 

(to Mark)

Still breaking curfew, still taking meds you shoulda been off of a long 
time ago. 

(to Tammy)

Still sitting in detention a couple times a week, mouthing off to 
teachers and your parents, 

(to Heather)

Dressing like something out of a bad horror movie, lying about grades, 
and tests, sneaking out in the middle of the night.      

Harlan pauses for a moment, then turns his attention to Kyra.   

HARLAN

And some... some of you can't get over the past, because you won't open 
up and talk about it. You're so scared to let anyone in, that you're 
shutting the whole world out.   

Kyra looks down at her wrists, and there are two long, ugly scars, from 
an attempted suicide. 

NADINE

This isn't a whim. We put a lot of thought into what to do with you 
all. I know you don't, but you damn sure should appreciate it. I don't 
even like camping. We're here, whether your parents told you or not, to 
make a last... 

She takes a deep breath and sighs. 

NADINE

Last ditch effort to make some progress. 

HARLAN

(placing his hand at his throat)

Your folks are fed up - had it up to here with all of it. Either this 
works, or it's off to group homes. 

He glances at Kyra, targeting her for her suicide attempt.  

HARLAN

Maybe even worse.. for all of you. Believe me when I tell you; this is 
the last resort. We're simply running out of options.   

All the teens suddenly look shocked. 

NADINE

And if all that isn't enough, you've managed to run off two of the kids 
- that really, really needed our help and support.

Nadine glances around the group, but the teens are all silent. 

NADINE

Remember that? Feel free to jump in any time. 

INT. NADINE AND HARLAN'S OFFICE - MONTHS PRIOR - DAY

It is a typical psychiatrist's office with chairs, a comfortable 
looking sofa, a coffee table, and end tables. Magazines are scattered 
on the coffee and end tables and a few plants decorate the room. On one 
wall, Nadine and Harlan's degrees are proudly displayed in ornate, wood 
carved frames. A couple of tacky floral prints hang here and there.   

All the teens are sitting around, on the sofa and chairs, waiting for 
their group session to begin. 

Liz braids Tammy's hair. 

Heather leans her head back against the chair, eyes closed, listening 
to music from the headphones of her CD player. 

Damon pokes his head out of the bathroom, to see if Nadine or Harlan 
are about to catch him smoking inside the building. 

Mark sits with his hands clasped behind his head, totally laid back. 

Josh is antsy, tapping out a rhythm on his knees and tapping his feet 
nervously. 

Kyra reads a paperback romance novel, smiling and occasionally 
giggling. 

Tammy glances at the clock on the wall. It's 6:22.          

TAMMY

This is horse shit. We were supposed to start twenty minutes ago. 

MARK

Yeah; I'm about to fly. My gut's telling me it's dinner time. 

KYRA

Hey guys listen to this. 

Kyra starts reading from the romance novel in her hand. 

KYRA

Brandon slowly ran his tongue down the side of Miranda's neck. Her 
pulse raced with his every touch. She melted as he began to trail 
kisses along her collar bone and then lower between her breasts. She 
pressed her body against his, and feeling the fullness of his manhood, 
she begged him, softly whispering in his ear; take me now. I have to 
feel you inside me.  

Mark leans up, sucking in a quick breath, and grabs at his crotch. 

MARK

Damn. Stop it. You're giving me a hard on. 

Josh giggles. 

LIZ

Awwww... Johnny's ready to come out and play and got nowhere to go. 

MARK

Yeah whatever. It's just a damned shame I'm stuck here for an hour or 
else I'd be... 

At that moment, a large overweight boy, with a bad complexion, CALVIN, 
walks into the room, and he is followed by a small, very plain, slip of 
a girl called AMBER.   

Damon is just finishing his smoke. He runs into Calvin, as he steps out 
of the bathroom.  

DAMON

Watch it freak.

Calvin wrinkles his eyebrows and speaks very softly. 

CALVIN

You watch it. You ran into me. 

DAMON

(in Calvin's face)

What? What did you say freak? 

Calvin stands his ground, not backing down, but a bead of sweat forms 
on his forehead, and then rolls down his nose. He shakes slightly.  

Amber slips by quietly, and sits down in a chair farthest away from 
everyone. She stares at the floor and occasionally looks up to watch 
what is going on. 

CALVIN

You need to stop calling me freak. It was an accident. 

Mark stands up, and approaches Calvin and Damon. He stands to the side 
of them and reaches over, sticking his finger into Calvin's chest. 

MARK

Better back it up big boy, before it gets ugly up in here.  

Calvin grabs Mark's hand, and twists it. A fight ensues. Fists are 
flying, and the three boys, Mark, Damon, and Josh are all ganging up on 
poor Calvin.   

The girls are frantic and screaming, all except for Amber, who sits 
rocking back and forth with her face in her hands. 

TAMMY

Stop! 

KYRA

Please stop! You're gonna kill him! 



HEATHER

Lay off! Leave him alone! 

Mark lands a punch on Calvin's nose, and blood flies from it, 
splattering onto a nearby wall. Calvin staggers and falls back onto his 
butt. 

The three boys dive on top of him like a football pile up. Calvin 
struggles for a moment, then breaks free. 

He runs over to the nearest empty chair, and holds it high over his 
head. He prepares to crush the three boys, still trying to get off 
their knees.  

Amber springs from the chair, and stands with her fists clinched at her 
sides. She grits her teeth together.  

AMBER

Kill them! Crack their skulls Calvin! They don't matter to us! 

The other girls are shocked at her outburst for a moment. She is always 
very quiet and shy. 

The girls stare at her for a moment, and she sits back down, then 
begins to rock back and forth again. 

Calvin lifts the chair even higher, and the deranged, determined look 
on his face says he's about to strike. 

Heather suddenly comes from behind him, and grabs the chair's legs. 
Calvin tries to swing it downward on the boys, but with Heather's added 
weight, he cant. Each time he tries to swing, Heather's feet lift 
slightly off the floor.  

HEATHER

(firm, demanding)

Stop now Calvin. You're gonna kill them. 

Calvin is shaking, sweating, angry beyond his own comprehension. 

HEATHER

Put the chair down Calvin! They're not worth it.  

Liz, Tammy, and Kyra stand by watching intently. They are all very 
upset, and Kyra wrings her hands. 

KYRA

Take a deep breath. Remember, like Nadine says? Let all the anger just 
float away.   

Calvin takes a couple of deep breaths, and as Heather loosens her grip, 
he begins to calm down. Heather releases the chair completely and 
Calvin drops it on the floor.    

DAMON

Freak. Gonna kill somebody. Freak. Freak. Get outtta here. We don't 
want you around. Freak. Freak.  

MARK

Dangerous fucking idiot. Freak Freak. Freak. Freak.  

JOSH

They need to lock you up. Freak. Throw away the key. Freak. Freak. 
Freak.   

Damon looks over at Amber, who is now covering her ears with her hands, 
and staring down at the floor.  

DAMON

Take that crazy bitch with you. Ya'll are both whacked in the head. 
Freaks.    

Kyra takes a slow trembling breath and then lashes out.  

KYRA

Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!  

HEATHER

That's enough! Leave him alone!

The boys throw magazines at Calvin as they chant. He backs away toward 
the door, scared, confused, crying, twitching, and they follow him all 
the way out, still chanting. 

Amber runs toward Calvin and they both leave quickly.  

EXT. FOREST CAMPSITE - PRESENT DAY - NIGHT

JOSH

Oh come on. That fat moron and that retard girl didn't fit in with us 
and you know it. 

HARLAN

They didn't fit in huh? That's about the lamest excuse I've ever heard. 
Oh wise and all knowing Josh. 

Harlan does a bow with both hands out - the gesture for "we're not 
worthy". 

HARLAN 

Maybe you think they don't have as much right to be here as you. 

NADINE

So Calving was fat and Amber was a little introverted. They needed this 
group more than any of you, and they're not less important,  just 
because they're different.   

INT. FOREST, A NEARBY TREE - NIGHT

From behind the tree, A FIGURE watches, listening intently to their 
conversation. That someone is breathing short and labored. 

There is the outline of a large person, but in the darkness, it is 
impossible to tell if it is a man or woman. 

INT. FOREST CAMPSITE - NIGHT

NADINE

They didn't fit in anywhere, and that was a lot of the problem. For 
some the root of their trouble runs deeper. I bet none of you even took 
the time to get to know them.  

HARLAN

The thing is, it doesn't always take a major trigger. It's what we call 
a chemical imbalance. They didn't really even have a choice how they 
felt and reacted to situations. 

NADINE

The human brain is a fragile organ.    

The teens stare at them, confused by their own emotions, or perhaps the 
lack of them. 

After several seconds, Heather breaks the uncomfortable silence. 

HEATHER

Cut us some slack would you? He was a nut bag and you want us to take 
the blame? That ain't right.  

NADINE

We just want you to take responsibility for your own actions.  

HARLAN

And it was your actions - all of you that pushed him over the edge. He 
was already teetering, and you just had to help him out.  

DAMON

Bull shit. Like you said, he was already in pretty bad shape if a 
little name calling was all it took. 

LIZ

Yeah, I don't get it. We have to deal with stuff like that everyday. 

NADINE

But you can deal with it. Calvin on the other hand.... he's not doing 
well.    

HARLAN

Yeah that's putting it mildly.  

The teens all shrug or give him a "yeah right" look. They're all rather 
quiet. Kyra and Mark are the only ones who look the least bit 
remorseful. 

TAMMY

Look, I'm sorry about Calvin, but whatever we may have done, I'm damn 
sure not going to any girl's home.  

Tammy looks at the other girls, seeking their support. 

HEATHER

Not gonna happen. 

All the teens, look at each other and slowly begin to chant in unison. 
They grow louder and louder with each verse, though their facial 
expressions suggest teasing, rather than rebellious anger.  

TEENS 

Hell no, we won't go. Hell no, we won't go. Hell no, we won't go. 

Harlan jumps up suddenly, clearly angry. 

HARLAN

Enough already! You know that may be the problem. Kids with too many 
choices. Well surprise!  You don't get a choice this time. 

NADINE

It's our way or the highway. 

HEATHER

Oh that's original. 

Nadine shoots her a look of hatred. 

TAMMY

There is no way my Dad's gonna let that happen. My mom maybe, but I'm 
Daddy's little girl. 

HARLAN

All of your parents love you. What you fail to see is all the problems 
you're causing in their lives, and in their marriages.  

NADINE

We call it tough love, and they're catching onto the idea. You ever 
think maybe they're tired of putting you first, and getting nothing but 
hell in return?  

All the teens are quiet for a few seconds, deep in thought about their 
fate. 

Kyra starts to twirl her hair nervously. 

MARK

This is lame. I'm going to bed. 

Damon stands and stomps away toward his tent. Mark dusts the dirt off 
his butt and follows him.  

HEATHER

Yeah. I'm trashed. 

As Heather stands, her lighter drops out of her pocket, but she doesn't 
notice. The teens all disperse, and head for their tents. Liz bunks 
with Kyra. Tammy bunks with Heather.  

EXT. OUTSIDE, FOREST EDGE - NIGHT 

The person who was watching before makes their way around the campsite, 
staying at the edge of the forest, and always out of sight. The watcher 
spies on the teens as they enter their tents.    

EXT. OUTSIDE, FOREST CAMPSITE - NIGHT

Nadine and Harlan are picking up some scattered cups and plates from 
the dinner. 

NADINE

(calling to them)

The first session is tomorrow.  Get a good night's sleep. 

HARLAN

Yeah. You're gonna need it. 

INT. LIZ AND KYRA'S TENT - LATER

Liz is lying down and Kyra is sitting up with legs stretched out in 
front of her. The tent is dimly lit, by a small battery powered 
lantern. 

Kyra rubs her fingers across one of her wrist scars. She seems to be 
deep in thought, far away in her own little world. 

LIZ

You know they're never gonna leave you alone until to talk about that. 

Liz nods her head toward Kyra's scars, indicating she's talking about 
the suicide attempt.  

Kyra just shrugs slightly, but doesn't bother to look up at Liz. 

LIZ

You got some guts. I've thought about it, but I'm too much of a puss I 
guess. 

Liz moves closer to Kyra and sits down. 

LIZ

Why did you do it anyway?  

Kyra sighs and looks Liz straight in the face. 

KYRA

Why does anybody? I wanted to die. Still do most of the time. 

Liz leans over to get a better view of Kyra's scars. 

LIZ

You did it the right way too. You were serious huh?  

Kyra stares at the roof tent and bites at the corner of her lip, 
looking pretty bored with the topic, as if she's tired of people asking 
about her scars. 

KYRA

Look... I'm gonna say this one time. You don't repeat it and you don't 
ever ask me again. 

LIZ

Hey you know if you don't want to...

Kyra breaks in, cutting her off.

KYRA

When I was thirteen, I finally had enough of my step father coming into 
my room in the middle of the night humping me. I told my mom. She 
didn't buy it, and she sent me off to live with my Dad. So, she chose 
him instead of me. Some Mother. I haven't talked to her since.   

LIZ

Oh my God. I'm sorry Kyra.  

KYRA

Sorry it happened to me, or sorry you asked? 

Liz doesn't know how to answer, so she looks away and then scoots over 
to her clothes, pretending to care if they're strewn about the tent. 

She's quiet for a few seconds, while Kyra eyeballs her.     

LIZ

That sucks. You shoulda killed the fucker. 

KYRA

And grow old in prison? Easier to kill myself. Anyway... that's why the 
scars.  

Kyra lies down, and covers herself with her sleeping bag. She turns her 
back away from Liz. One small tear falls from her eye.  

Liz sits staring at the back of Kyra's head for a few moments, unsure 
of what to say, or if she should say anything else at all. She lies 
down too, and covers up in her sleeping bag. She's facing Kyra's 
direction. 

LIZ

You think they're bull shitting us? 

Kyra rolls over to face Liz.  

KYRA

Who? 

LIZ

Nadine and Harlan.

KYRA

Probably. They usually are full of shit. You know... those girl's homes 
are full of lesbians I hear. 

LIZ

Bull. 

KYRA

Ask my sister. She spent two years in one. Came out gay as all hell.  

LIZ

Screw that. I'll leave. I swear. Pack my bags and off I go. 

KYRA

Go where? Let's face it we're all stuck. Looks like we might actually 
have to try to fit the mold... or fake it at least. 

LIZ

Easy for you to say. My folks' idea of the mold is a carbon copy of my 
Aunt Linda. She works for some big advertising firm. Boring. I'd rather 
be shot.    

KYRA

No you wouldn't. It's not as easy as you might think.   

LIZ

So she makes lots of money - good for her, but they don't get it. I'm 
not her, just because I look like her.  

KYRA

So what is it you want to do?

LIZ

I don't know what I wanna be. I'm gonna figure it out as I go. But what 
I wanna do right now... I'm gonna sneak over to the guys' tent in just 
a few minutes. Hey... You wanna go? 

KYRA

For what?

LIZ

What do you think? 

KYRA

Jesus Liz you're never gonna get out of this group. Probably end up 
pregnant too. 

Liz reaches into her pocket and pulls out a short string of condoms, 
and dangles them in front of Kyra's face.  

LIZ

Oh no. No screaming kids for me. I just wanna practice.    

Kyra reaches out to try and grab the condoms, but Liz yanks them out of 
her reach, and tucks them under her sleeping bag.  

Kyra rolls back over, mumbling.  

KYRA

Slut.

Liz giggles and then her expression slowly becomes somber. She's 
thinking she just might be too promiscuous.  

INT. TEEN BOY'S TENT

They're playing cards in a small circle. A battery powered lantern 
gives off a faint glow.    

Josh lays down his cards so the others can see three queens. 

JOSH 

Three ladies' read 'em and weep. 

DAMON

Cheating fucker. 

JOSH

Cheating how? You dealt the damn cards. 

Mark tosses his cards into the middle of the circle. 

MARK

This is shit anyway. What are we supposed to do all weekend? 

DAMON

Yeah. I can only handle so much  expressing my feelings. 

JOSH

And listening to the girls whine about how bad they've got it. 

MARK

I haven't screwed up in weeks. They shouldn't have made me come out 
here. 

DAMON

Oh, I don't belong here. Boo hoo. Deal the cards man. 

Mark pauses for a moment, deciding whether he wants to play anymore. He 
picks up the cards and shuffles them.  

INT. HEATHER AND TAMMY'S TENT

Tammy is already in her night clothes, and is applying lotion to her 
body, while Heather inspects her belly button ring. She walks over to 
Tammy on her knees, with her shirt up, revealing her belly button ring.   

HEATHER

Does that look infected to you? 

It's a bit red, and looks infected. 

TAMMY

Ewww.. It does. That's so gross. Why do you do that to yourself? 

HEATHER

It's kind of a hobby I guess, or maybe I'm addicted to it. I don't 
really know.  

Heather sits down onto her butt, helps herself to Tammy's bottle of 
lotion, and begins to apply some to her arms and hands. 

EXT HEATHER AND TAMMY'S TENT

The watcher can just make out the shadows of the girls, on the material 
of the tent. A hand reaches out, and touches the shadow, in the area of 
Tammy's breasts.   

INT. HEATHER AND TAMMY'S TENT

TAMMY

Whatever does it for you. I'm not putting any holes in myself. If God 
didn't put 'em there I don't need 'em. 

Heather glances at the earrings in Tammy's ears, then reaches out to 
touch one.  

HEATHER

What about those? 

Tammy reaches up, grins, and pulls one of them off. 

TAMMY

Clip-ons.  

HEATHER

(teasing)

Chicken shit.  

TAMMY

I'm not afraid of a piercing gun. I just don't see the point.  

Tammy lies down, and tucks herself into her sleeping bag, which is 
Heather's cue to move to her side of the tent. Heather undresses, 
revealing a host of small tattoos on her lower back, the back of her 
shoulder, and her upper arm.   

TAMMY

You've got a thing for needles. Just don't be trying to pierce anything 
while I'm sleeping. 

HEATHER

I'd be more worried about getting poked with something else, if I were 
you. Lots of testosterone floating around here.  

Tammy yawns and rolls over. 

TAMMY

They're all talk - just talk no action. 

INT. NADINE AND HARLAN'S TENT

Nadine and Harlan are lying down. Nadine lays with her head on Harlan's 
chest. She snuggles in closer, and Harlan wraps his arm around her 
back.  

NADINE

You think maybe, with a change of scenery, we'll make more progress 
with these kids? 

HARLAN

I hope so, but I think some of them may be too far gone. A couple of 
them really scare me. It's like they have no conscience - no soul. 

NADINE

Uh huh. Let me guess - Heather and Damon. 

HARLAN

Not so much Heather. It's the quiet ones like Kyra you have to worry 
about. So much bottled up for so long. 

NADINE

I don't know what we can do for her, that we haven't already tried. 
Eight damn long months, and still not a word about what her step father 
did to her. 

HARLAN

You want to hear something so wrong, and I know it is but... 

Sometimes I don't think I want her to open up about it. I don't want to 
know all the gory details. 

He sighs deeply and pauses, thinking. 

HARLAN

Some days I don't think I can stand to hear their problems anymore.  

Nadine props herself up on her elbow, glaring at him with a 
disheartened look. 

NADINE

How can you say that? This is what we've always wanted to do. If we 
don't help these kids who will?  

HARLAN

I'm sorry. I just feel like they're a virus -  a crazy, mentally 
disturbed virus, seeping into my skin, trying to make me crazy too.  

Nadine looks absolutely disappointed and somewhat horrified. Her brows 
furrow, and she sighs, then lies back down against Harlan's chest.  

EXT. OUTSIDE, FARMHOUSE - NIGHT

At a farm house not far through the forest, someone approaches. Lights 
are on in the farmhouse, and the silhouettes of a couple of its 
residents meander through the rooms. To the side of the house is a 
small barn. 

All around are the sounds of farm animals - sheep, chickens, pigs, 
cows. 

INT. BARN - NIGHT 

In the moonlit shadows, tools often used on a farm hang along a wall. 
There is an ancient looking sickle, a hatchet, an axe, a machete, some 
rope, a few knives, and various sizes of meat hooks. On a nearby shelf 
lie bottles with large nipples for feeding calves and metal buckets for 
milking cows. 

An arm, not much clearer than a shadow, reaches out and grabs a medium 
sized meat hook, and a machete. The he puts a medium sized knife in his 
pocket, and tosses some rope over his shoulder.     

INT. NADINE AND HARLAN'S TENT - SAME NIGHT

NADINE

I know what you're feeling. It's like we're carrying the load of all of 
them sometimes, isn't it? 

Harlan rubs his eyes hard and blows out a ragged breath. 

HARLAN

I see their faces in my damned sleep. 

NADINE

I think we're the ones that need a   vacation. 

Harlan turns over on his side, and reaches over, running his hand over 
Nadine's breast. She looks up at him, and they kiss, slowly at first, 
then more passionately. 

As Harlan is about to take Nadine's shirt off, they hear laughter from 
the boy's tent. Harlan sighs, moves to his knees, and pokes his head 
out of the tent. 

The dim lights are still on in Heather and Tammy's tent, and in the 
boys' tent. Liz and Kyra's tent is dark. 

NADINE

Don't worry about them. Get back over here. 

HARLAN

Yeah that's what we need, one of them catching us boot knocking. 
They're damaged enough already.   

Nadine's expression shows she's experiencing a sudden revelation. 

NADINE

Hey...  we could take one of the sleeping bags and find a nice flat 
spot in the woods.  

Harlan turns back toward Nadine and grins. He slowly moves on top of 
her, and starts stroking her breasts, and runs a hand between her legs.  

HARLAN

That's why I love you. I like the way you think. A little grass in the 
ass baby?   

They giggle. 

NADINE

Goofy ass. You're so nasty. Just grab the bag before I change my mind. 

Harlan reaches over, and bunches his sleeping bag into an unruly 
bundle. They head out of the tent, and towards the tree-line.  

EXT. OUTSIDE, FOREST - NIGHT 

It's dark and they hold hands as they tromp through the underbrush, 
each holding onto the other. Nadine loses her footing, and slips, but 
Harlan catches her before she completely falls. 

They have no light, to draw attention to themselves, but the moon is 
full enough to lend just enough light to walk by. 

The forest is eerily quiet, except for the distant mumbling and 
occasional laughter from the teens.  

HARLAN

You all right babe? 

NADINE

Yeah. Let's just stop here. I'm tired of walking. 

Nadine looks around. She can barely see the light of the campsite. She 
looks through the trees, and up at the moon. She suddenly looks 
nervous.   

NADINE

Maybe this wasn't the greatest idea. 

Harlan lays out the open sleeping bag, and sits down. He pats the spot 
next to him.  

HARLAN

Don't worry baby. Nothings gonna jump out and eat you... except maybe 
me. 

Harlan reaches up and grabs Nadine's hand. He pulls her down beside 
him. 

She laughs low and sultry as he begins to fondle and kiss her. They 
continue kissing and fondling each other for a few moments, then begin 
to undress each other. Nadine climbs on top of Harlan, now completely 
undressed. 

As they start to have sex, the watcher makes his way slowly and 
silently toward them. He stands behind a large bush, not far away, 
breathing heavily.     

Nadine is giving it all she's got, and both Harlan and she are clearly 
enjoying the ride.  

NADINE

You like that? Yeah baby. I know what you need. 

Harlan is breathless amidst the passion of the moment. 

HARLAN 

Yeah. That's what I'm talking about. 

Nadine starts to really get into the sexual act, pounding Harlan harder 
with each rise and fall.  

Suddenly a branch cracks, and leaves rustle nearby. Nadine gasps and 
jumps off of Harlan. She reaches for her shirt, and tries to cover 
herself with it.   

HARLAN

Shit. 

Nadine is too freaked out to talk normally, so she's whispering. 

NADINE

What was that? Honey somebody's out there.  

HARLAN

(grumbling)

I swear to God I'm gonna kill these kids. 

Harlan stands and looks around. He sees nothing. The forest is again 
silent. 

A RABBIT jumps from behind a nearby bush, and hops away. 

NADINE

Damn rabbit - Jesus. 

Harlan settles back down, while Nadine sits upright, still looking 
around, shirt still covering her breasts. She lies down slowly, and 
somewhat reluctantly, on her back. She squints into the darkness, 
looking a bit apprehensive. She sighs and runs her hands over her face.    

HARLAN

See, just a little bunny. Where was I? Oh yeah... 

He rolls over on top of Nadine, and they kiss a few times, then begin 
having sex again. 

There's a rush of pounding feet, so fast that Harlan and Nadine don't 
have time to react. 

A look of sheer terror covers Nadine's face, as a dark figure bears 
down on them. 

Her mouth opens to scream. 

Harlan turns his head to see what is approaching, and at that moment, 
he is impaled through the side of the head. 

The machete goes completely through Harlan's head, and then through 
Nadine's open mouth. 

The killer stands over them both, breathing heavily. The killer kneels 
down, and strokes Nadine's hair, then leans down to kiss her on the 
forehead. 

With a shaking hand, the killer strokes her cheek, as blood runs down 
it. He uses the blood to form a heart shaped drawing on her cheek. 

Nadine's eyes stare blankly ahead. Harlan's body jerks with the last 
nerve impulses of a dying man.  

The killer stands back up, and pries the blood covered  machete out of 
the bodies.   

INT. LIZ AND KYRA'S TENT - NIGHT

Kyra is sleeping, and Liz is lying quietly, just waiting to make sure 
the watch dog counselors have gone to sleep. 

She crawls over to the tent door. She pokes her head outside, looking 
toward Harlan and Nadine's tent.  

There's no light on in Harlan and Nadine's tent, and there's no other 
noise, or sign of activity inside. 

Liz grins and then crawls back over to Kyra, grabbing her shoulder and 
shaking her.  

LIZ

Hey? Hey wake up. 

Kyra is groggy.  

KYRA

What? It's morning?

Kyra notices it's still dark, and quickly gets irritated.  

KYRA

Go away Liz. I'm trying to sleep. 

She pulls the sleeping bag over her head and rolls over, away from Liz. 
Liz pulls the sleeping bag back down, while Kyra struggles to pull it 
back over her head.   

LIZ

Come on. Get up. It's just for a few minutes. Please. There's too many 
guys to make them all leave.  

KYRA

Why didn't you say something earlier? 

LIZ

Cause I didn't think about it. 

KYRA

Ughhh! This is my tent Liz. You didn't bring one remember? 

LIZ

Please? Come on Kyra. Don't make me go out in the woods and get poison 
ivy on my ass or something. 

KYRA

Fine. Run me outta my own tent.   

She hobbles, with the sleeping bag around her, taking a moment to glare 
angrily at Liz, before she ducks outside.   

LIZ

I owe you. 

KYRA

Yeah... you do. 

EXT. OUTSIDE, CAMPSITE

Kyra is slowly but surely making her way to the other girls' tent.  Her 
hair is a wiry tangled mess.   

INT. HEATHER AND TAMMY'S TENT

Heather and Tammy are already sleeping. Kyra scratches on the tent, 
since there's nowhere to knock. Tammy slowly wakes to the sound. 

Tammy reaches out, and pokes Heather's sleeping bag. Getting no 
response, she pokes it again. Her eyes are growing wider with the 
scratching sound on the side of their tent. 

TAMMY

(whispering)

Heather? Heather get up!  

HEATHER

What the fuck? What is it? 

TAMMY

Shhh... I don't know. There's something out there scratching.    

Tammy turns on the small lantern. The scratching continues, and grows 
faster and louder.  

TAMMY 

God it's probably a bear. What do we do? 

Heather is unsure of what the sound may be. She moves to the door of 
the tent, seemingly unafraid. She has on a T-shirt and a pair of pajama 
pants. 

HEATHER

Hello? 

There's no answer, so Heather slowly begins to unzip the door. 

TAMMY

What are you doing? Maybe it'll just go away. 

Heather gives her a look as if to say, "you're a dumb ass". 

HEATHER

Stop freaking. If it was a bear, it woulda ripped this tent apart 
already.  

EXT. HEATHER AND TAMMY'S TENT

Kyra is now close enough to hear what they're saying. She grins as it 
occurs to her that it might be funny to give the two girls a scare. 

INT. HEATHER AND TAMMY'S TENT

Heather pokes her head outside, and sees that a small branch has 
partially broken from a nearby tree, and is scraping against the side 
of the tent.  

Just as Heather reaches out to pull on it, trying to break it free and 
move it away from the tent, Kyra jumps in front of the tent's door. 

KYRA

GRAAAAA! 

Heather jumps, startled, and falls, then scoots backward on her butt. 
Tammy screams. 

Kyra kneels and crawls into the tent, somewhat hindered by her sleeping 
bag. She plops forward onto her stomach laughing.  

KYRA

Oh man. That was too easy. You shoulda seen the look on your 

faces. 

TAMMY

That is so not fucking funny. 

Tammy throws a shoe at Kyra, but misses, which only makes Kyra laugh 
harder. 

TAMMY 

You scared the shit out of us! 

HEATHER

Glad we could entertain you. Shit.

What are you doing over here anyway? Liz kick you out?  

KYRA

Yep. Sorry you're stuck with me, for however long it takes Mark. 

TAMMY

What a slut.  

HEATHER

Yeah, but Mark's a dog - probably likes 'em that way.  

KYRA

I don't give a shit what they do, but I'm really tired, so can I crash 
here or not? 

HEATHER

If you can find a spot.    

Kyra crawls over to the center of the tent, and lies down with her 
sleeping bag, covering her head up. Tammy reaches for the lantern and 
turns it off. Heather stays sitting up, near the entrance of the tent.   

HEATHER

Well piss. I'm awake now. 

She grabs her smokes, which were near her sleeping bag, and reaches 
into her jeans for her lighter. She searches the pockets, but it isn't 
in there.  

HEATHER 

Have you seen my lighter?

TAMMY

Yeah. I stole it. Maybe you'll have to quit smoking now. 

HEATHER

I'm serious, it's not here. Fuck. It's the only one I brought. 

TAMMY

Why don't you just go outside, and stick it in the fire? I don't want 
to breathe that crap while I'm trying to sleep anyway. 

HEATHER

Tammy, if you weren't bitching, you'd either be sleeping or dead. 

Tammy curls her lip at Heather and Heather walks outside. 

EXT. OUTSIDE, CAMPSITE - FIRESIDE

The fire is smoldering ash and a few small flames. Heather sits on an 
old log at the side of the fire, and sticks a cigarette into the coals. 
She drags on it deeply, trying to get it to light. 

As she's puffing, she notices her lighter nearby on the ground. She 
walks over, picks it up, and then goes back to the log to sit. She lays 
the lighter on the log, right next to her thigh.  

In a few moments, she spots Liz and Mark coming from the boy's tent, 
and making their way toward Liz's. Liz and Mark spot her, but say 
nothing to her. They are too busy playing suck face. They duck into 
Liz's tent.  

Heather finishes her cigarette, then goes for her backpack, and pulls 
out a roll of toilet paper. She walks to the tree-line at the edge of 
the campsite. It's dark, so she hesitates.   

HEATHER

God I hate the woods. 

INT. FOREST 

Heather makes her way through the trees and underbrush, a couple of 
dozen yards, then pulls her pajama bottoms down and  squats down to 
pee. 

EXT. OUTSIDE, CAMPSITE FIRE

There is shallow, labored, breathing as a hand reaches out, and grabs 
Heather's lighter from the log.    

INT. FOREST

Heather is done peeing, and is just pulling her pants up. She begins 
the trek back out of the thick trees, and toward the campsite. She 
pushes a branch out of her way, but it comes back to smack her in the 
face. 

She grabs her forehead and rubs it. 

HEATHER

Fuck.

He grabs the branch and pushes it down hard as she walks by. 

Suddenly she sees a flicker through the forest - not far away. She 
squints at first, not realizing what it is. The flicker and slight 
scraping noise happens again and again. The familiar sound of a lighter 
striking dawns on her. 

HEATHER

(mumbling)

Dammit Kyra. I'm gonna kick your ass.  

The flickering continues, but is moving deeper into the forest. Heather 
follows, as the campsite falls further and further into the distance.  

Heather stumbles in the darkness, and falls down. When she rises, the 
knees on her pajama pants are filthy. She walks further, then shouts.  

HEATHER

Kyra!   

Heather pushes a branch out of her way, but it snaps back toward her, 
yet again, and smacks her hard in the cheek. The forest is really 
kicking her butt. She reaches up, and rubs her sore cheek. 

HEATHER

God Dammit! This is not funny!

She looks at her hand. She can feel the moistness of fresh blood, and 
can just barely see the blood in the moonlight.  

HEATHER

Oh you are so dead!  

The flickering of the lighter stops as suddenly as it began. It's very 
quiet, and Heather is pretty far away from the campsite now. 

An owl screeches. She can't see it clearly, but there's the  swoosh of 
its wings as it flies by. Heather nearly jumps out of her skin. 

She turns, and heads back in the direction she came from. A branch 
cracks, and Heather looks down at her own feet, but there's nothing 
there, except grass and leaves. 

She stands still as a statue, squinting through the dim moonlight.  

HEATHER

(just above a whisper)

Kyra? Tammy? Stop screwing around. 

INT. LIZ AND KYRA'S TENT

Liz and Mark are right in the middle of having sex. They're both 
moaning and breathing heavily.   

INT. BOY'S TENT

Damon and Jason are still playing cards. They have turned on a small 
boom box and commercials concerning Halloween are playing. A deep 
sadistic male voice comes on the radio. 

VOICE ON RADIO

So join us for the fright of your life at the annual haunted mansion 
scarathon brought to you by K.R.P.G., and the fine folks at Winstead 
Realty. 

EXT. OUTSIDE, FAR INTO THE FOREST 

Suddenly, Heather can hear footsteps, and loud animalistic breathing. 
She immediately senses it isn't Tammy. She turns to see who it might 
be. 

The shadowy figure coming toward her is not much more than an  outline.   

As Heather begins to back away slowly, the figure approaches more 
rapidly. Heather stops. The figure stops. Heather begins to run. The 
figure runs after her. 

She hides behind a tree and when she peers around, a meat hook slams 
into her chest. Heather screams. 

INT. BOYS' TENT

Damon and Jason continue to play cards. The same commercial is still 
playing. 

VOICE ON RADIO

Step inside and lose your soul. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!   

At the end of the commercial, a woman screams loudly, and then screams 
again, drowning out Heather's screaming. 

INT. LIZ AND KYRA'S TENT

Liz suddenly wails aloud as she reaches sexual climax, further drowning 
out Heather's screams in the forest. Mark clamps his hand over Liz's 
mouth, to keep from waking the counselors.   

MARK

Shhh. You wanna wake them mother fuckers up? 

He turns his head, listening. He is unsure if it was just Liz he'd 
heard wailing. After hearing nothing more, he gives Liz a quick peck, 
and quickly stands up to put on his clothes.  

EXT. OUTSIDE, FOREST 

Heather is gurgling on her own blood, unable to speak or scream. She 
runs with a meat hook shoved into her chest. She is growing weak. She 
stumbles and falls, then the killer swings the machete, and chops 
Heather's head off.    

The head rolls across the ground, and comes to rest with the face 
against a tree trunk. The killer picks up the head, then walks over and 
pries the meat hook out of Heather's body.   

EXT. OUTSIDE FOREST (DREAM SEQUENCE) 

The teens are all running, including Heather, and everyone seems to be 
frantically trying to escape an unseen danger. All of the teens except 
for Kyra are making a lot of headway. Kyra isn't moving at all, but her 
legs are making the motions of running.  


Kyra looks down at her feet, and they are bogged down in a sort of 
sticky, gooey substance. It's as if she is stuck in this overgrown 
puddle of gum. Nobody is helping her, because they are running for 
their own lives.   

INT. TAMMY AND HEATHER'S TENT - NIGHT

Tammy is sound asleep. Kyra suddenly wakes and gasps loudly, lurching 
upright. It was her own mind - a nightmare that had trapped her in the 
puddle of goo. Tammy stirs, but doesn't wake.  

She's sweating profusely. She peels the sleeping bag off her body, 
disgusted by the wetness. 

EXT. OUTSIDE, CAMPSITE FIRE   

A few tiny flames still burn here and there. The killer heads toward 
the logs by the campfire, and then places Heather's head on one of the 
thick logs. 

The killer stands there for a few moments, looking around at the tents, 
as if deciding where to go next. 

The killer sees a shadow of a large male, Damon, stand up inside the 
boy's tent, and then the door flap of Tammy and the late Heather's tent 
starts to move. The killer quickly sinks back into the shadows of the 
forest trees, but stays to  watch the happenings at the campfire. 

Kyra steps out of the tent, and starts toward the dwindling fire. She 
rubs her eyes, and yawns, then wraps her arms around herself, as if she 
has a chill. Seconds later, Damon steps out of the boys' tent.   

Kyra spots him. He has no shirt on, and the lines of his muscles stand 
out prominently against the dim light of the dwindling fire. She 
watches his every move as he walks toward her. He knows she likes what 
she sees, and he smiles at her. 

DAMON

Can't sleep?

He stretches. Then he spits a wad of Skoal laden saliva on the ground, 
and Kyra looks a little disgusted, suddenly remembering that despite 
how cute he is, he's got a really gross dipping habit. 

KYRA

Well I was, until I had one hell of a nightmare. 

Kyra is clearly shaken up. She rubs her face and then runs a hand 
through her hair, which is a mess. 

DAMON

I used to almost every night. As much as I hate to admit it, they got 
better since I started coming to group.  

Damon reaches out and touches Kyra's shoulder. She pulls back, and 
stares at him in silence.    

DAMON

Hey; it was just a dream right? 

KYRA

It felt so real. We were all running and running, but my feet felt like 
they weren't moving. Everybody was leaving, but I couldn't...  

Kyra looks toward the fire, avoiding eye contact with Damon. Then some 
movement catches her eye. 

Heather's head has just rolled off the log, and made a slight THUMP 
hitting the ground.  

Both she and Damon hear the thump, and slowly walk over toward the 
large log. Kyra grabs his arm stopping him.  

KYRA

(whispering)

Wait. 

DAMON

Shhh. 

Damon places his hand over his lips, then creeps over to the log. Kyra 
stands very still, looking all around and over her shoulder. 

Damon makes his way to the log, and looks around it. He can see 
something, but it's fairly dark on that side of the log, and he can't 
see clearly. 

He leans down, and reaches out. He feels of Heather's head, running his 
hand around on it. For a few moments, he is unsure of what it is. 

Kyra is standing by, growing more and more nervous, the longer he is 
quiet. 

KYRA

(loud whisper)

What is it? Damon?

Damon is still feeling around. He hits the bloody stump of the neck, 
and a strange, confused, expression covers his face. He moves his hand 
up a bit, and feels Heather's lips, and then nose and finally eyes. 

He feels down further below the neck, once more, and suddenly realizes 
that it is a head, but no body. He scurries backward a few feet and 
stares at the log, fear and shock covering his face.   

DAMON

Oh my God.  

Kyra starts toward him, but he holds up his hand. It is covered in 
blood. Kyra gasps.  

KYRA

Damon; oh God.  

DAMON

No Kyra. Just stay away. Don't look at it. 

Kyra starts to cry. Damon's breathing is fast and shallow.

DAMON 

Go and get Harlan. 

Kyra turns and runs over to Harlan and Nadine's tent. 

Damon crawls over and picks up a stick from the fire that has a flame 
on the end. He shines it over Heather's head, and then coughs, nearly 
throwing up. 

He stands and steps backward, frantically looking around. 

INT. NADINE AND HARLAN'S TENT 

Kyra opens the flap of Nadine and Harlan's tent, and it is of course 
empty. She runs back to where Damon is.  

EXT. OUTSIDE, CAMPSITE FIRE

KYRA

They're gone. They're not there Damon. 

Kyra pauses, staring at him, confused. She raises her voice to near a 
yell. 

KYRA

What is going on? Why's your hand all bloody? Just tell me what it is?  

Damon just looks at her. He's still holding the fiery stick. He's pale. 
Disgust and disbelief cover his face. 

KYRA 

I'm talking to you God Dammit! 

DAMON

It's not what.... It's a head. 

He grabs Kyra by the shoulders. She stares at him in dismay.   

KYRA

Oh... What like an animal? 

Damon grabs Kyra's arm, and drags her over to the log. He points the 
fiery stick down behind the log, illuminating Heather's head. The eyes 
are staring straight ahead. 

Kyra screams and jerks away from his grasp. She steps back and covers 
her mouth with her hand, sobbing her head off. 

All the remaining teens come running out of their tents. Josh has his 
baseball bat in his hand, ready to defend himself and others if need 
be. 

The killer, who had been watching the whole time, sinks even further 
back into the shadows and disappears. As the killer sneaks away, the 
campers can hear his footsteps. 

Other footsteps seem to be heading in the opposite direction as well. 
The teens' eyes dart all around them.   

MARK

What the fuck is going on?  

JOSH

Sounds like there's a fucking dying cow out here.   

DAMON

It's Heather. I've never seen nothin' like that. 

Josh and Mark look at him, and then at each other, unsure what to make 
of it all. 

Kyra is crying so hard she's unable to speak. Liz and Tammy walk up to 
her, trying to calm her down. Liz wraps an arm around her shoulders, 
and Kyra buries her face into Liz's chest, while Tammy strokes Kyra's 
hair.    

LIZ

Calm down. Shhh. Shhh. It's gonna be okay. 

Kyra stops crying quite so badly, and starts sniffling. She looks up 
from Liz's chest, and points a shaking hand toward the log.    

Tammy, Liz, Josh, and Mark walk toward the log. They all get there at 
the same time. Liz and Tammy start to squeal. 

JOSH

What the fuck? Oh Jesus.  

MARK

Mother.... God damm! What the fuck did that to her?  

DAMON

I don't know. We didn't see anything. We didn't hear anything. 

KYRA

Oh God... Nadine and Harlan. 

Liz, Tammy, Josh, and Mark all look toward their tent, and at each 
other. 

TAMMY

Oh no. Where are they? 

MARK

They're not in their tent?

Kyra is still crying, and Damon shakes his head. The teens stand around 
silently confused and in shock.  

JOSH

Well we gotta find them. Like quick fast and in a hurry.   

The other teens just look at him, all of them clearly afraid. 

DAMON

What if they're already dead? You really want to go looking? Whatever 
or whoever did that...

(pointing at Heather's head)

Maybe they're not done yet.  

JOSH

Fuck this. Bunch of pussy's.  

He reaches into his backpack, grabs a large metal flashlight, and takes 
off into the woods. Damon follows him with his eyes for a moment, and 
Mark just looks scared and confused.  

Damon turns to him, with a defeated look on his face. 

DAMON

Shit. Stay with the girls. 

Mark nods. Damon takes off in a trot to catch up with Josh. He still 
has the stick in his hand, and it's still burning, but the flame is 
beginning to dwindle. 

The girls are crying, trembling, clearly frightened. Kyra  runs over to 
Damon, and grabs his arm. She spins him around to face her. 

Damon stares at her tear filled eyes, unsure of what to say. Josh 
continues into the forest, slowly, as if to give them some privacy, but 
he doesn't want to go in too far by himself. 

KYRA

Just tell me you're coming back. Even if you think you're lying, just 
say it.  

Damon stares into her eyes for a few seconds.  

DAMON

Get some more wood on that fire, and find something for protection. 
Don't worry about me. Just look out for yourself.    

Tammy yells at the two boys. 

TAMMY

This is bull shit! We all need to stay together. 

Josh has made his way twenty feet or so into the forest, so Damon trots 
to catch up with him. 

Kyra begins to cry harder. She slowly makes her way back over toward 
the center of the campsite, near Tammy, Liz and Mark. Along the way, 
she picks up small sticks for the fire.  

TAMMY

God this is like a nightmare. Heather's dead. I wanna wake up and make 
it all go away.  

LIZ

We can't sit here and do nothing. 

Kyra is still sniffling, while she tosses the sticks on the fire. 

KYRA

I'm gonna go check the tents. We're gonna need something if whatever or 
whoever it is comes back for seconds. 

Liz and Tammy cry right along with her for a few moments, as they all 
stand around, in a small circle. Mark is the odd one out, so he takes 
Kyra's lead, and collects more wood. 

The girls all enter different tents. 

INT. NADINE AND HARLAN'S TENT

Liz searches through their bags, looking for something to use for 
protection. She finds the van keys. On the chain is a miniature 
canister of mace/pepper spray. 

INT. BOYS' TENT

Kyra does the same, looking all around for anything usable. She limps a 
little from her twisted ankle. 

She finds a baseball, then grabs a long sock from the floor. It doesn't 
look too clean. She sniffs it and nearly gags. 

She shivers at the smell, and drops the baseball into the sock, and 
swings it around, trying to determine if it will be sufficient.    

KYRA

Well... if nothing else, the smell will kill them.  

EXT. EDGE OF THE FOREST - NIGHT

Tammy finds a large branch. She whacks it on the ground and it 
shatters. It's too rotten. She walks a little farther into the forest. 
Her eyes dart all around her. Even the smallest sound of leaves 
rustling, or a slight wind frightens her.  

She realizes she has walked a little too far for comfort into the 
forest. She turns to head back the way she came. 

Suddenly, an unseen figure grabs her from behind and clamps a hand over 
her mouth. She tries to scream, her eyes wild, but the sound is too 
muffled for anyone to hear. 

The killer lifts her off the ground, and she kicks at his legs. The 
huge hand is clamped over her nose and mouth and she can't breathe. 
Tears stream down her face, but still her screams go unheard. 

The killer carries her deeper and deeper into the forest. Finally, 
Tammy has been deprived of oxygen for too long, and falls unconscious. 

The killer ties a rope around her ankles and hoists her limp body 
overhead, by throwing the end of the rope over a large tree limb. Tammy 
dangles, as the killer walks around her, as if trying to decide what to 
do with her.      

Tammy starts to come around, and as her mouth opens to scream again, 
the killer again clamps a hand over her nose and mouth. 

The killer reaches into his pocket, and withdraws a knife. It looks 
like a kitchen/steak knife - not all that sharp. 

He slowly saws at her throat with the knife. She is awake the whole 
time, but eventually begins to spew blood from her mouth. 

The killer removes his hand from her mouth, and moves his face close to 
hers, staring into her eyes, and enjoying watching her die. 

When she stops twitching and writhing, he takes out the meat hook, 
which is already bloody, and begins to use her as a pinata. 

The killer is mad with rage, and is growling and grunting with each 
blow. After several moments, he pauses, staring at her swinging body. 

She releases one last breath of air. Satisfied, the killer  walks away.   

EXT. OUTSIDE, FOREST - NIGHT

Damon and Josh are walking stealthily through the forest, parallel and 
about ten feet apart from one another. Their light is scarce. Josh's 
flashlight is growing more dim by the second, and Damon's stick torch 
is almost out. 

DAMON

All bull aside; this is some scary shit.  

JOSH

Yeah well, we could always go back and wait. 

DAMON

I'm about ready to. We better find 'em soon, cause that light's gonna 
give out.  

Josh looks at his flashlight. It flickers, and he taps the end of it 
against his palm. It gets a bit brighter momentarily, but continues to 
flicker.  

JOSH

Give it a few more minute. Then  we'll head back. 

Damon nods, and turns his attention back to the area in front of him. 
He squints through the darkness. He suddenly stops dead still, which 
Josh notices. 

Damon holds his dwindling torch up a bit higher, and Josh walks over to 
investigate. 

DAMON

There's something over there.

Josh shines his light in that direction, and they see what looks like a 
mound. He's apprehensive - not really sure he wants to know what it is. 

JOSH

You go ahead. I'll be right behind you. 

The flame on Damon's stick flickers one more time, and goes out. He 
blows on it, trying to get it to light back up. 

DAMON

Screw that. You've got the light. 

Josh steps in front of him, and Damon throws his stick onto the ground. 
He stays close behind Josh. At first it seems it may be a stump, a 
mound of dirt or a small grassy hill. 

As they draw closer, it slowly becomes clear that it is one body atop 
the other. The two boys' eyes are wild with terror. Damon is still 
standing behind Josh. He peeks around Josh's shoulder. 

DAMON

Oh God. It's them isn't it? 

Josh reaches out and rolls Harlan's body off of Nadine. They see that 
both of them have been run through. There is a lot of blood and it is 
still dripping from their wounds. 

Damon looks around, suddenly more petrified than he has been so far. 

DAMON

Let's go. Let's just take the girls and get outta here. 

JOSH

Fucking aye right.   

They head back through the forest. The flashlight flickers and suddenly 
goes out. It's dark and they can barely make out a hand in front of 
their faces. 

EXT. CAMPSITE

Mark, Liz, and Kyra are sitting around the campfire, each holding their 
weapon of choice. Mark is throwing a large bowie knife at the ground, 
making it stick and pulling it out, over and over. 

LIZ

Where the fuck is she?

They hear branches cracking and all eyes dart to the edge of the 
forest.  

KYRA

Tammy... thank God. 

She squints into the darkness. 

When there's no answer, they stand, all ready to fight off the 
attacker. After a few seconds of tense silence, they all sit back down.  

Kyra reaches down and rubs her ankle now and then. 

KYRA

I can't take much more of this. Nadine, Harlan, Heather, and probably 
Tammy too. We're dropping like flies. 

LIZ

Yeah; I don't like this. What if Tammy... if none of them come back at 
all?

MARK

Then we'll go and find them. 

KYRA

And then what if we don't come back? 

MARK

I don't know okay. Let's just shut up and keep our eyes open. 

They all look around, keeping a watchful eye out, for anything unusual. 
The girls stare at Mark, like he should have all the answers, and know 
what they should do.   

He takes a deep breath, and musters up some courage. He stands up. 

MARK

Stay here. 

Liz stands and steps in front of him. 

LIZ

Don't. We don't know what's out there.  

He steps around her and walks away. She turns in his direction, 
watching him walk away.  

LIZ

God dammit Mark! 

MARK

I'll be back. Just stay put. 

He takes a few steps and then stops for a second, looking back at Liz 
over his shoulder. 

MARK

And if I'm not, don't come looking for me. 

Liz watches, looking and feeling helpless, as he leaves.    

LIZ

Shit. 

EXT. OUTSIDE, FOREST - NIGHT 

Mark is just a short distance in, when he hears something creaking and 
swaying overhead. He looks up and droplets fall on his face. He can't 
see well.   

It's just an outline in the moonlit sky - something large hanging from 
a tree. He rubs his face and realizes the droplets are blood. 

A loud crack resonates through the silence, and then the object 
plummets toward him. As it grows closer, his face is cloaked in horror. 

He realizes that a tree branch has broken off. He tries to dodge the 
object and the limb, but it lands on him, knocking him to the ground. 

It's Tammy's body that has fallen on him, and he screams as he tries to 
push it off. 

EXT. OUTSIDE, CAMPSITE FIRE

The girls jump to their feet, and run to the edge of the forest. Kyra 
is limping a bit from her twisted ankle.  

LIZ

Mark! God dammit Mark! 

She screams and cries. Kyra grabs her arm, pulling her toward the fire. 
They huddle together and are both scared stiff.   

Suddenly Mark comes into view. He's covered in blood. Liz breaks away 
from Kyra and runs to Mark, throwing herself in his arms. She kisses 
him over and over. 

MARK

It's Tammy. She's dead. Hanging from a tree like a slab of beef.

He's picking us off one by one.   

EXT. OUTSIDE, FOREST - NIGHT

Something big and heavy suddenly rushes by, not far away from Damon and 
Josh. They both jump, startled. They start to back away from the sound 
of the footsteps. 

As they back away, they are drawing farther and farther apart.   

Josh suddenly trips, and falls backward. He looks up and sees the 
outline of a huge figure standing over him. He screams and scurries 
like a crab, then turns over onto all fours.   

The killer has a large meat hook in one hand, and the machete in the 
other. 

EXT. OUTSIDE, CAMPSITE FIRE

The three campers all run to the edge of the forest. The scream in 
unison, into the darkness.  

MARK

Josh! Damon! Can you hear me!

LIZ

Damn you! Damn you whoever you are!

KYRA

God! What do you want from us! Leave us alone!

The girls are crying, and Mark begins to pace. 

MARK

I'm going after them. 

Kyra grabs his shirt hard, and stops him. 

KYRA

No! You are not leaving us here alone! 

LIZ

Please. I'm scared. We're gonna die. We're all gonna die!  

Mark stares into their faces, and realizes he can't leave them, and he 
can't help his friends. 

MARK

Fuck! Fuck!  

INT. OUTSIDE, FOREST

Damon's face is covered in shock and horror. He turns toward the sound 
of his friends' voices. 

He takes a couple of steps toward Josh, but he's afraid the killer will 
spot him, and instead, he tiptoes over to a nearby tree, and hides 
behind it. He closes his eyes and prays in a whisper.  

As Josh tries to get away, the killer slowly stomps after him. Josh is 
looking back over his shoulder as he crawls. He can't seem to get up 
and run, due to his terror. 

DAMON

Please. Please just go away. Don't let him find me. I'm not here. I'm 
not here. Oh... please.   

Josh's feet won't cooperate. After several seconds, he almost makes it 
to his feet. The killer suddenly shoves the huge machete into Josh, 
impaling him from rectum to chin. The killer twists it around inside 
Josh's body.  

Josh gurgles on his own blood and flops onto the ground, writhing and 
twitching. The killer attempts to remove the machete. It seems to be 
stuck, and after pulling a couple of times, the killer gives up.  

The killer stands, straddling Josh's body, and waits there until Josh 
stops twitching. The face can't be clearly be seen in the darkness.    

Once Josh is perfectly still, and very dead, the killer begins to look 
around for Damon. Damon remains hidden behind the tree. 

As the killer draws closer, Damon hears the footsteps and stops 
whispering to himself and even stops breathing. He slides down, against 
the tree and feels around for something - anything on the ground to use 
for a weapon. 

His hand hits something solid, a rock. He feels it for a moment, and 
decides that it will have to do.    

He picks it up and the killer draws in closer and closer. When Damon 
hears a footstep very close, he flings himself from behind the tree and 
screams out in fear and rage.   

He crashes the rock into the side of the killer's head, with all his 
might. The killer stumbles sideways and falls to his knees. It seems as 
though he is dazed.   

Damon walks over and raises the rock over his head. Tears are streaming 
down his face. The killer is breathing hard and labored. 

DAMON

Eat this you sick fucker!

Damon brings the rock down toward the killer's head, but the killer 
swings an uppercut with the meat hook, and lurches out of the path of 
the rock. 

The hook sticks into Damon, just below the breastplate. The killer 
turns it, and forces it downward, through Damon's entire abdomen.    

More tears fall, as Damon's eyes flutter and then roll back into his 
head. The killer pries Damon off of his hook, and the body falls to the 
ground.  

Damon takes a few breaths, very shallow and trembling, then silence.     

The killer rises to his feet. He seems woozy and dazed by the blow to 
his head. He trudges off into the forest, the opposite direction from 
the campsite. 

EXT. OUTSIDE, CAMPSITE - NIGHT

Mark, Kyra and Liz are standing in the center of the campsite, near the 
fire. 

LIZ

Screw this. I'm going home. You want to wait around for that psycho to 
come back, then fine, but I'd rather take my chances and head for the 
van.   

Liz goes to her tent, and comes back out quickly with her back pack. 
She starts for the path they came in on, but Mark steps in front of 
her.  

MARK

You ain't goin' anywhere. We're safer if we stick together.   

LIZ

Oh yeah; like Josh and Damon? I'm leaving. Please don't make me go by 
myself.  

KYRA

We don't know where Josh and Damon are. Maybe they're still searching. 

LIZ

Oh they're searching alright; searching for the bright light at the end 
of the tunnel, and I hope they find it, because as sure as I'm fucking 
standing here, they're dead. You know it, I know it, so let's just cut 
the shit okay. 

Mark sighs and steps away from Liz. He plops down onto a nearby log. 
He's running his hands through his hair nervously. 

MARK

Let's just stop and think for a minute. Why would somebody be after us, 
assuming that they are targeting us, and not just whoever happens into 
these woods? 

LIZ

How am I supposed to know? I mean I piss people off on a regular basis, 
but I don't think any of them want to kill me. 

KYRA

I don't get any of this. I think maybe it's an animal or something - 
not somebody with a grudge. 

MARK

Yeah, I thought that too at first. But, did you take a good look at 
what's left of Heather? 

LIZ

Oh God. No, and I don't plan to. 

MARK

It was cut clean, not torn up or chewed on. If we know what we're up 
against, maybe we'll have a better chance of getting out of here in one 
piece.  

Liz and Kyra glance at each other, and then over to the log Heather's 
head lies behind. 

KYRA

One piece ughhh... 

MARK

You know what I'm trying to say. Here's what I'm thinking; I only know 
two people who hate us this much. 

KYRA

Who?

MARK

Think about it. They ain't in the group any more, but they knew we had 
this trip planned.  

KYRA

Calvin and Amber? Come on Mark. You don't seriously think they're that 
messed up? Besides, Calvin's in some mental ward right now. Amber... 
Maybe she is a psycho, but she's not strong enough to do this.      

Mark thinks quietly for a moment. 

MARK

Yeah... I guess so. I'm just trying to make some sense of all this. 

KYRA

There's no reason to it. It's just... crazy.  

LIZ

And so are we if we stick around.  My ass is leaving. I mean it sure as 
hell isn't safe out here in the middle of nowhere. I say we make a run 
for the van. Anybody else?   

Neither Mark nor Kyra answers her. They look at her as if she's nuts. 
After a few seconds. She starts to leave. 

Mark grabs her by the shoulders, as she pushes past him. He spins her 
around and looks directly into her eyes. Her face shows irritation. 

MARK

Liz... I'm really sorry.

He punches her hard in the jaw and she crumbles into his arms. 

Kyra is shocked. Her mouth flies open. 

KYRA

What are you doing? Are you crazy?

MARK

Not crazy enough to let her go out there alone. 

He grabs Liz under the armpits and starts to drag her. 

MARK

Grab her feet and help me. 

Kyra had quite a struggle, since her ankle is still hurting. But she 
does her best to help, and they drag Liz over to the log, and prop her 
up against it. 

She slumps over onto the ground. Mark lifts her back into a sitting 
position. 

He tries to turn away from her, but each time he lets go of her, she 
starts to slump, and he has to turn back to her and lift her back up to 
sitting again and again.  

Strangely enough, Kyra starts to giggle. Mark looks at her with 
confusion on his face.  

MARK

I can't believe you can laugh right now. 

KYRA

Maybe it's because I'm losing my  mind. You knocked her out - stone 
cold out.  

Meanwhile the lifting and slumping happens a few times. It really 
shouldn't be funny, but it is. 

Kyra has stood by watching and giggling a little, as if in shock, but 
finally comes around enough to kneel down and hold Liz upright, while 
Mark grabs a nearby folding camping chair and opens it. 

He plops Liz into the chair, and reaches into one of the backpacks. He 
digs through it for a few seconds, and decides to dump out the 
contents. 

He rifles through the stuff on the ground, and eventually finds a small 
amount of string, wound onto a cardboard roll.   

He unrolls some, grabs a small stick from the fire, and burns it off of 
the roll. He ties Liz's hands onto the arms of the chair, and then 
tosses the string onto the ground.  

KYRA

Is that gonna hold?

MARK

Long enough for her to calm down... I hope. 

EXT. OUTSIDE, CAMPSITE FIRE - NIGHT 

Mark and Kyra are sitting around the fire. Kyra is on the ground, 
sitting against one of the logs. Mark is next to her, sitting on top of 
the log. 

Liz is still out cold on the chair. 

As the fire dwindles, Mark tosses sticks in. It's nearing dawn, so it's 
not quite as dark anymore. 

Kyra yawns and her eyelids are weak and heavy. She shakes her head, 
takes a deep breath, and opens her eyes wide.   

KYRA

(groggy, talking to herself)

Shit. Wake up Kyra. 

MARK

Why don't you go ahead and try to sleep for a little while? I'm not 
going anywhere. 

Kyra yawns again, and nods her head. She sinks down further against the 
log and closes her eyes.  

MONTAGE

As time passes, the fire burns. 

Mark struggles to stay awake. 

Liz is sitting in the chair, and is now awake. She has a look of pure 
hatred on her face, as she eyeballs Mark.  

Mark goes over to talk to her, and she nods her head, indicating she'll 
be a good girl. She has a pitiful pleading look on her face. 

Mark unties her and she rises from the chair, rubbing her wrists. She 
walks past him, bumping into him hard. She doesn't even look at him, as 
she plops down on the ground.  

Kyra is sound asleep. She is twitching, sweating and mumbling in her 
sleep, and obviously having a nightmare.  

EXT. OUTSIDE, CAMPSITE - NIGHT 

Eventually, Mark is unable to keep his eyes open, and falls asleep as 
well. 

Liz watches him, and when she's sure he's asleep, she creeps over to 
her tent, grabs her back pack and a florescent light stick, and takes 
off into the forest. 

EXT. OUTSIDE, FOREST - NIGHT

Liz is walking through the thick forest. It's dark, so only the light 
of the florescent stick guides her. She's deep in the forest, and not 
on a path.  

She stops and looks around, concerned and anxious.  

LIZ

Come on. I don't wanna be lost.

She steps into a spider web hanging between the trees. She grunts and 
hisses at the air in disgust.  

LIZ

Oh... this sucks so bad.  

EXT. OUTSIDE, FOREST - PRE-DAWN

The forest is again teeming with life. Birds chirp and animals scurry 
around. The sun is beginning to rise in the distance.   

EXT. OUTSIDE, HIGHWAY - PRE-DAWN

A few police cars race down the highway at high speed, with their 
lights and sirens on. Two more police cars are stopped on the side of 
the road.    

A POLICEMAN steps out of his car and opens the back door. A German 
Shepard hops out of the car and the officer puts a leash on him. 

Another POLICEMAN steps out of his car. He walks over to Policeman #1. 
In #2's hand is a shotgun and a piece of clothing.  

Policeman #1 holds another piece of clothing under the dog's nose and 
lets the dog sniff it. 

POLICEMAN #1

There ya go boy. Get a good whiff. Got it? Okay boy. Let's go. Go find 
'em.  

POLICEMAN #2

(calling out)

I'm going a little further down to look for the other one. Meet you 
back here.  

Policeman #1 waves his hand in the air, acknowledging policeman #2. 

EXT. OUTSIDE, CAMPSITE - DAWN

Mark is asleep. Kyra shakes him, and he nearly jumps out of his skin. 
Kyra stands in front of him, a backpack thrown over her shoulder. 

KYRA

Whoa... It's just me. 

Mark rubs his eyes hard, and looks around the campsite. 

MARK

Shit... I can't believe I fell asleep! 

He glances around the campsite, and sees that Liz is gone.   

MARK 

Where the fuck is she? 

KYRA

I hope she's just lost. 

She pauses, looking a little worried and sullen. 

KYRA

I don't know. I didn't hear her leave. 

MARK

God dammit! I did that for her own good. Fuck! I don't go around 
beating on women. Now we probably have another body to go look for.  

KYRA

Look, it's not your fault she left. If you wanna go after her, then 
you'll be leaving me here alone. Liz was my friend too, but I'm not 
doing anything but heading for the van. I say we get outta here, while 
we're still breathing. 

MARK

You want to just leave her out there? You don't know that she's dead. 

Kyra holds up one hand, as if to stop Mark from saying another word. 
She turns to walk away from him and goes for her back pack. She's 
shaking her head in defeat as she walks away.  

EXT. OUTSIDE, FOREST - JUST BEFORE DAWN

Liz's light stick is very weak. As she walks, it grows more and more 
dim, and finally goes out. 

She can make out the surroundings, but not very well. She shakes the 
light stick a couple of times, and then growls and  throws it at a 
tree.  

She continues on. Suddenly, she sees movement out of the corner of her 
eye. 

She jerks her head in that direction, and stops dead still. She sees 
nothing, but something doesn't feel right to her. Her breathing grows 
rapid and panicked.  

She looks toward the light of the rising sun, and whispers to herself. 

LIZ

Sun rises in the East. We came in by the North. 

Liz heads North. She continually glances back over her shoulder. She's 
looking all around her, as if she feels she's being watched. 

She suddenly realizes that she is in a somewhat familiar place. She 
smiles as she makes her way to a slightly cleared path - the one they 
came into the campsite on. 

When she is just a few steps away from it, someone grabs her by the 
hair and throws her against a tree. Her back hits the tree and she 
loses her breath.  

The wind has been knocked out of her, and she can't manage to pull in 
any air to scream. She runs clumsily toward the path and heads for the 
van. 

She's looking back at the killer who is always right behind her. She 
can't quite make out the face. She falls and crawls along the ground 
for a few moments.    

She pulls the van keys, with the can of mace attached, and turns over. 
She screams and sprays the killer in the face. 

The killer squeals, a bit like a wounded animal. Then he  walks up 
behind Liz and slams a foot down on her back. The killer is breathing 
hard and whining as if in pain from the mace. 

Liz screams at the top of her lungs, as the meat hook comes down on her 
and sticks into her back. 

She screams one last time and as the hook tears her flesh she moans and 
dies. Her eyes stare straight ahead, as her head turns to the side, and 
her cheek presses into the forest floor.     

The van keys fall out of her hand and roll onto the ground. The killer 
picks them up. 

EXT. OUTSIDE, CAMPSITE - DAWN

Kyra is now standing face to face with Mark again. She has her back 
pack on, ready to go. In one hand, she holds the sock, with the 
baseball inside.  

KYRA

What do you think Mark? Everybody is dead but us, and Liz is just gonna 
walk outta here on her own? 

Kyra takes a deep breath, trying to calm down. 

KYRA

Face it Mark. She's dead. 

Mark holds up his hand and turns his head, listening. He can hear a 
faint scream. Kyra hears it to.  

They take off running. Kyra is wincing and limping a bit, but she 
manages to keep up. 

They run for quite a distance along the path before finally, out of 
breath, Mark drops to his knees. 

Kyra is out of breath too. She leans against a tree, sweating and 
panting to the point of total exhaustion. She drops the pack from her 
shoulders, and rubs her ankle, and moves it around.   

Mark rests his face in his hands, rubbing his eyes. He's thinking about 
how he and Liz just made love the night before.  

INT. TENT - NIGHT (FLASH)

The scene of Mark and Liz having sex.  

EXT. OUTSIDE, FOREST PATH - DAWN

Mark looks in all directions, still keeping an eye out for the killer. 
He glances at Kyra, who is reaching down for her heavy back pack. 

MARK

Leave the pack. We gotta move fast. 

He stands, huffing and puffing. Kyra drops the back pack, but she keeps 
the sock in her hand.  

MARK 

Then we'll find a phone and call the cops or something.  

They start out again, in a brisk walk. 

KYRA

I'm sorry. I'm gonna miss her too, but I know you liked her a lot.  

Mark is silent for a moment, thinking. He's walking in front of Kyra, 
so he looks back over his shoulder to speak to her. He slows his walk 
considerably. His demeanor is as if he's nearing the point of shock.   

MARK

It doesn't hardly seem real does it? We got together - really alone 
together for the first time last night. I can't believe they're all 
dead. 

Kyra grabs his shirt sleeve and tugs at him, trying to get him to move 
it along. 

KYRA

Let's just keep moving. We're not out of the woods yet either. 

Kyra wrinkles her brows, as if to say, "no pun intended" - "bad choice 
of words".   

EXT. OUTSIDE, FOREST PATH - MORNING

The sounds of a living ecosystem are all around them. They all keep a 
watchful eye out, still fearful of the killer. 

As Mark and Kyra round a small curve in the trail, they see someone up 
ahead, standing over a body. They recognize the clothes. It's Liz's 
body. 

The someone has their back to Kyra and Mark, so they can't tell who it 
is, just that the person is very large.   

Mark pushes Kyra behind a tree and he ducks behind it with her. He 
leans out a bit, and strains to see who it is. The killer won't turn 
around. 

The person grabs Liz's ankles and drags her lifeless body  off the 
path. 

Kyra pins her back against the tree. She's shaking and breathing fast. 

Mark places a finger over his lips to signal her to be quiet. He pulls 
the Bowie knife out of its sheath and at first tries to sneak up on 
him.    

The unknown person hears Mark's footsteps and turns toward him. It's 
Calvin dragging Liz's body.    

EXT. OUTSIDE, FOREST - BEHIND THE TREE

Kyra peeks out from behind the tree and sees who it is. She quickly 
hides behind the tree again, a look of shock on her face. 

EXT. OUTSIDE, FOREST - PATH

When Calvin sees him, Mark runs at him with the knife clasped in his 
hand, holding it over his head, screaming with rage and angst, and 
ready to strike.  

Calvin drops Liz's legs and ducks, trying to deflect Mark's blows. 
Calvin grabs the arm holding the knife and easily pushes Mark's hand 
down. 

They struggle, falling into bushes and running into trees. Mark trips 
over Liz's body and nearly falls to the ground. He stumbles and then 
recovers to attack Calvin again.  

CALVIN

No! Stop! Oh God! 

EXT. FOREST - BEHIND THE TREE

Kyra is still crying and shaking. She peeks around once in a while and 
can see, though not very well, the two fighting amidst he trees. 

EXT. FOREST - NEAR THE PATH

Mark knees Calvin in the groin and then lands an upper cut, which stuns 
Calvin and nearly knocks him out.  

Mark lunges at Calvin and buries the knife into his heart. Calvin 
groans and turns pale. He slides down the tree and stares at the knife 
in his chest. He tries to pull it out. 

He looks into Mark's face, just as he is about to die.  

CALVIN

I was try...tr... to wa...

He takes one big gulp of air, and dies. 

Mark makes his way back to Kyra, who is now standing on the path. She 
stares at Mark, with a look of utter shock and exhaustion on her face. 
Her eyes are red and swollen and her cheeks are wet with tears.  

Mark walks over to her and wraps his arms around her. She breaks down 
into uncontrollable sobs. Kyra's face is turned to the side, with her 
head against Mark's chest.   

Her eyes are blurry from her tears. She slowly starts to make out the 
shape of something moving toward them through the trees. 

She blinks a few times, and lifts her head. It becomes clear that a 
large man is heading toward them. 

He is well over six feet tall, and with a very large build. His hair is 
horribly scraggly and his face is very pitted with acne scars. His 
teeth are gnarly and many are rotten. 

He is covered in blood. In his hand is the large meat hook.  

Kyra screams. She's shaking with tremendous fear, as she pushes away 
from Mark. She takes off running. 

Mark instinctively turns in that direction, and then glances at 
Calvin's body. 

MARK

Oh God...  Calvin.  

Seeing what Kyra saw, Mark takes off running after her.   

EXT. OUTSIDE, FOREST PATH - MOMENTS LATER

The large man - the killer, is taking huge steps, and seems to be 
catching up, despite the fact that Mark and Kyra are running. 

Kyra turns to look back over her shoulder and she trips. Mark then 
trips over her. He gets to his feet first, and drags Kyra to hers.  

Kyra screams out in pain. 

KYRA

My ankle. It's my ankle. 

Mark wraps her arm around his shoulder and helps support her, so they 
can continue running. 

MARK

Hold on to me. Just hold on to me.  

As they run, now more slowly, the killer draws closer. Kyra is crying, 
almost to the point of continuous screams and sobs.  

She turns to look over her shoulder once, and the killer is too close 
for comfort. She screams and sobs.  

KYRA

Why are you doing this? What do you want from us? God!... Leave us 
alone! 

They run for quite some distance, with the killer constantly just 
behind them. Finally, they are nearing the van. They can see it eighty 
yards or so away. 

Mark turns to look over his shoulder and realizes the killer has 
mysteriously disappeared. He slows to a walk, and turns his entire body 
(and Kyra, whose arm is still hanging on his shoulder) around in a 
circle, looking in every direction. 

All is very quiet - too quiet. Suddenly, they hear the familiar sound 
of labored breathing, loud growling and pounding feet moving toward 
them, but this time from in front of them. 

KYRA

Oh God!

MARK

This way! 

They turn and run through the thick forest, hoping to escape or hide. 
Kyra is limping the whole way as usual. 

EXT. OUTSIDE, FOREST 

They come upon a huge tree, large enough for both of them to hide 
behind. They can hear the footsteps of the killer approaching. 

Kyra is sobbing, breathing rapid and shaky. Mark is breathing heavily 
as well, from the run and his fear. He places a finger to his lips in a 
hush gesture. Kyra tries to compose herself. 

The killer walks past them slowly. He takes several steps away from 
them and looks all around. He seems confused. He takes a couple more 
steps, then slowly turns in their direction.   

Mark shoves Kyra away from him. He knows he can no longer run away fast 
enough to take them both out of harm's way.  

MARK

Run Kyra! RUN!!!

Kyra screams and takes off running. Mark faces the killer. He darts 
past him and the killer takes the bait. 

Kyra heads back down the path toward the van. She's almost there - just 
a little further. She's so frightened and exhausted, she can hardly 
breathe. 

She stops and stares at the sock weapon in her hand, considering going 
back to help Mark. When she hears Mark scream, she instantly makes the 
choice not to, and runs off, as fast as she can manage, on her sore 
ankle. 

EXT. OUTSIDE, FOREST

Mark is running with all the strength he has left, but the killer is 
closing in on him fast. 

Mark screams out in pain, as the killer catches up to him and shoves 
the meat hook deep into his shoulder.  Mark falls to his knees, and the 
meat hook pulls out of his body. 

He feels around and then grabs a big branch. He whacks the killer in 
the head with it, and the killer slumps to the ground. 

Mark rises slowly, wobbling. He pokes the killer with his foot and when 
he doesn't move, Mark drops the branch and  tries to pry the meat hook 
from the killer's hand. 

The killer has a grip on it, and Mark can't get the hook out of his 
hand. 

Mark again picks up the branch and hits the killer over and over and 
over, screaming with rage at each blow.  

EXT. OUTSIDE, FOREST PATH - MOMENTS LATER

Kyra makes it to the van, but has no keys and the doors are all locked. 
She runs around to all the doors and the rear hatch, pulling on them 
frantically. 

She pounds on them, screaming and crying with frustration. She hears a 
car coming down the highway. 

EXT. OUTSIDE, HIGHWAY

Kyra runs to the road and stands in the middle of it. She waves her 
arms, but the car just honks and swerves around her. 

KYRA

(frantic, crying)

No! Please God, no!

Suddenly, from behind, a hand grabs her shoulder. She gasps and 
screams.     

She turns and stumbles a few feet back. It's Mark. She runs to him and 
wraps her arms around him. 

MARK

You're okay. You're okay. I think he's dead.  

He holds and consoles Kyra for a few seconds. 

MARK

Let's get the fuck outta here. 

Kyra nods her head enthusiastically, and they quickly run toward the 
van.  

Mark pulls on the driver side door, and when he sees it's locked, he 
wastes no time. He picks up a rock and breaks the glass. They both jump 
inside. 

INT. VAN

Mark rips open a panel under the steering wheel and begins to try and 
hot wire the van. He doesn't really know what he's doing, so he's 
touching wires together, but nothing's happening. 

Kyra watches him. 

KYRA

Do you know what you're doing?   

MARK

No. Just shut up alright? And give me a minute to think. 

He tries some wires again, but still nothing. He sits up and slams his 
open hand into the steering wheel, angry and frustrated.

Both of them suddenly notice the killer is coming. He's on the path, 
and heading for them. He pauses and holds the keys up for them to see. 
He grins and shakes them around.   

KYRA

Oh God!

He finally he gets the right wires and gets a spark. The engine coughs 
weakly, but doesn't crank. 

MARK

God dammit! Start!

KYRA

Mark! Go! Go! Start it! 

MARK

Fuck! I'm trying! Crank! Go you bitch! 

The engine coughs again, and finally cranks. As Mark tries to back out, 
the wheels of the van slip in the soft ground.  

The killer is drawing closer, now just a few yards away. The closer the 
killer gets, the harder Mark presses on the gas.  

He cant go back, so he puts it in drive and screams as he drives toward 
the killer. Kyra screams too as they run over the killer.   

Mark has a determined look on his face, as he puts it in reverse and 
then in drive, running over the killer a few more times. Mark backs up, 
so that they can see the killer's body, lying lifeless on the ground.  

They sit perfectly still, breathless and in shock, as they stare at the 
body on the ground. They look at each other with relief, then hug.   

Kyra has her eyes closed. She hears a dog barking, and she opens her 
eyes. 

She sees the killer at Mark's window. Quick as a flash, he shoves his 
knife through Mark's eyeball, and far into his brain. Mark's body jerks 
a couple of times.    

Kyra screams and shrinks back against her seat. She swings the heavy 
sock at the killer and hits him, but he is largely unaffected. 

Mark's head flops sideways and his one remaining, lifeless eye stares 
out at Kyra. She screams and yanks on her door handle, so she can get 
out and run away, but she can't get it to open.  

The killer smiles at Kyra sadistically, and starts to open the van 
door. She swings the sock at his hand, resting on the door at the open 
window. 

He moves his hand just in time, and grins fiendishly at her. 

Suddenly a loud GUNSHOT permeates the air. 

Kyra screams as her face is splattered with blood - the killer's blood. 

He groans, then slowly slides down the door of the van and plops to the 
ground, dead at last.  

A short distance away are the policemen who were searching the woods, 
with their dog. One of the policemen fired the fatal shot. 

The policemen make their way to the van. They glance at Mark and then 
at each other, with remorse. They walk around to her door and open it, 
with little effort.    

Both of the policemen have a deep Southern drawl. 

POLICEMAN #1

You alright miss? 

The policeman just stares at her, and Kyra at first, seems unable to 
answer him. She begins to cry, pitiful weak sobs of relief. She looks 
drained. She tries desperately to wipe the blood from her face with the 
end of her shirt.  

The policeman hands her a handkerchief, and Kyra continues to wipe 
spastically. She shudders and shakes from shock.   

KYRA

Nine... there were nine of us... and Calvin. 

She cries even harder. 

POLICEMAN #2

The others...

KYRA

Dead. They're all dead. 

INT. POLICE CAR - A FEW MINUTES LATER

Policeman #2 picks up the transmitter of his C.B. radio, and presses 
the button to talk. 

POLICEMAN #2

Dispatch this is thirty four. 

DISPATCHER

(O.S..)

Go ahead thirty four. 

POLICEMAN #2

Call Doc Thompson at the coroner's office. We got a real mess out here, 
about four miles in, off the Highway one thirty-nine junction. And 
Eunice, tell captain we got him.   

DISPATCHER

(O.S.)

Roger that thirty four. Good job Frank. We can all sleep now. 

POLICEMAN #2

Dispatch tell him we found the boy too. That son of a bitch...

We got one girl living out of the whole bunch.    

The radio is silent for a moment. The policeman cues the C.B. again.  

POLICEMAN #2

You get that Eunice?

DISPATCHER

(O.S.)

Roger that Frank.     

Kyra watches the policeman, from the back seat, as he talks. She stares 
down at the floor, feeling a little guilty. Still, she isn't about to 
tell him that the psycho didn't kill Calvin, Mark did.  

As they travel down the highway, Policeman #2 chews tobacco and spits 
out the window. They drive in silence, with the policeman occasionally 
looking at Kyra in his rear view mirror. 

Kyra stares out of the window, and in a moment, they pass a number of 
police cars parked in front of a large gated building. The policeman 
slows and rolls down the window, preparing to talk to his fellow 
officers. 

Realization sets in for Kyra, as she notices all the activity is 
located in front of the large building. 

The sign on the gate reads: "Brook Haven Mental Facility." 

FADE OUT

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